This is the day that the Lord has made...

This is the day that the Lord has made...

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Daily Struggles

 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.    2 Peter 1:5-8

Some background is necessary to fully understand the power of these couple of sentences.  This is an apostle of the Lord, writing to his people who have just accepted Christ into their lives and are filled with the excitement and exuberance of having a new life in Christ.  Here, Peter is giving them instruction and, in some ways advice, to take what you have been given, add to it and live it!

In essence, these few short sentences are the new Christians handbook to life success!  If you want to be a man or woman of God that has a positive impact in the world, then here are a few qualities you should have: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness to your brothers and sisters in Christ and love for all. 

I struggle with this daily.  I know in my heart there is more that I can do for the body of Christ.  I know that my individual outreach isn't what it could be and that I am certainly falling short.  I look at the list given by Peter and see that I certainly have grasped many of these qualities, yet others, I need help...daily.  Faith, self-control, godliness.  Yeah, these I have not fully applied to my daily life with the same level of commitment as others. 

I fall short, Lord, and I thank you for your perfect love and support of who I am, who I am growing into and what I can become with and through you.

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